The State of Colorado is in the midst of a public health crisis.

Coloradans with mental health needs are too often neglected, stigmatized, or inadequately supported. Failure to address these health needs results in premature death, injury, substance use and addiction, long-term disability, and many other preventable threats to public safety and wellbeing. The arrest, punitive detention, and criminalization of Coloradans with unaddressed health needs gravely exacerbates this crisis, is a wasteful misapplication of resources, and yields poor health and public safety outcomes at tremendous cost to individuals, communities, and the economy at large. It's time for Colorado's lawmakers to take these issues seriously and redirect our taxpayer dollars toward the most effective, preventative interventions.